Tammy Reid to keep ties with family' at Laurel House in Norristown after leaving Philadelphia

Tammy Reid talks up Laurel House to Eagles fans at home game in 2009. Outgoing and plainspoken, the wife of former Eagles coach Andy Reid has championed the Montgomery County women’s shelter for more than a decade, becoming its face and voice in the community. For Journal Register News Service

Wonder how former Eagles coach Andy Reid and his wife, Tammy, really feel about their move to Kansas City? Note what Tammy wore to the news conference introducing her husband as the new football coach — a red sweater and red platform heels — Kansas City Chiefs red.

“Andrew and I are so excited. Everyone we talk to says such great things about the city and the people here,” Tammy said, who always calls her husband “Andrew,” in a recent phone interview from Kansas City.

Those who know Tammy, 53, won’t be surprised by her upbeat attitude. She’s as relentlessly sunny as the blonde streaks in her hair.

“My whole philosophy and my whole motto in my life since I’ve been married is: Live where you’re planted,” she said. “Andrew has transplanted me to eight different states now; I’ve had five kids in five states. You have to be positive and just jump into the community.”

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When the Reids moved to the Main Line 14 years ago, that’s just what they did. And that’s why so many locals — in contrast to disgruntled Eagles fans — are so sorry to see them go.

Her husband can take his closest coaching associates with him, but much of Tammy’s life — a whirl of volunteer work, family activities, tennis and “Everything Bling,” her custom costume jewelry business — isn’t so portable.

Although the couple has no immediate plans to sell their Villanova home, in the next few weeks Tammy will say goodbye to a wide network of people she’s impacted — her tennis pals at Radnor Racket, Gulph Mills and Philadelphia Country clubs (“scrappy” is how she describes her game), to the young women she’s mentored at her Mormon church, and perhaps most significantly, to her other “family” at Laurel House, the Norristown-based domestic violence charity she adopted 13 years ago.

When the couple first came to Philadelphia, Andy warned Tammy that every non-profit would come knocking, hoping to cash in on the couple’s name and influence. He suggested she find one major charity upon which to focus. After the couple agreed to serve as honorary chairs at a Laurel House fundraiser and Tammy read their mission statement, she made her decision.

“I knew that Laurel House was something I could pour my heart into because I am married to one of the greatest men in the world,” she explained. “I’m sad to know that there are women out there who are not. Andrew’s my best friend and we make a great team. I wish every woman could have the kind of loving, supportive relationship that we have.”

But Tammy did more than just lend her name to the cause. Much more.

Over the years she became such a fixture at Laurel House that the agency’s former development director initially thought she was on the payroll.

As a member of Laurel House’s advisory board, no job was too big or too small.

Tammy did everything from stuff envelopes to brainstorm new projects.

She planned the theme and décor of the yearly galas and helped with every detail, from set-up to cleanup.

She regularly lugged boxes of family’s castoffs to Marian’s Attic, the King of Prussia thrift shop that benefits Laurel House.

“She’d come in and say ‘Hi y’all’ — her famous greeting,” shop manager Beverly McGloin said. “She’d stop to talk to all the volunteers and would always buy something. That’s what I liked about her. She was in no way snobby or label conscious and she was very friendly, just a great person. We’ll miss her and her donations, especially all that great costume jewelry she brought us.”

Over the years, Tammy became the public face of Laurel House. She spoke to Rotary clubs, church and youth groups, women’s organizations and chambers of commerce. To better understand the issues, she even completed a 45-hour training program to become a certified domestic violence advocate — although she never worked formally with victims.

“Whenever she was out in public talking about Laurel House, people would seek her out. It’s a topic not everyone wants to hear about but when someone like Tammy embraces this cause and goes out and talks about it, people listen in a way that they might not listen to the rest of us,” Beth Sturman, the agency’s executive director said.

“Tammy has a tremendous heart especially for young women,” Sturman said. “She would just come alive when she talked to them about healthy relationships. It just breaks her heart when she sees a young woman in a situation that is dangerous or scary.”

The Reids attracted a host of new supporters to Laurel House, according to Sturman. On a personal level, Sturman says she and her staff will miss both Tammy and her husband — Tammy for her positive spirit, energy, and infectious can-do attitude, and Andy, for his unflagging support.

“Andy has a heart of gold,” Sturman said. “I’m sure there were times when he would have just as soon stayed home from an event and not have to pose for picture after picture. He’s always been incredibly supportive, always willing to do whatever we or his wife ask him to do — whether it’s carrying boxes from our cars at a special event or putting an arm around one of our donors and posing for pictures.”

Former Laurel House PR director Melissa Firman, now a fundraising consultant and writer in Pittsburgh, wrote about the public’s misunderstanding of Coach Reid in a recent blog post:

“I know one of the criticisms of Andy during his Philly years was that he was disconnected from the fans. That always perplexed me … I saw things differently. I saw a Coach who readily hugged a woman whose husband once chained her to the bathroom sink for days… I saw a Coach who signed an autograph for a scared, star-struck child who had moved into a shelter a week before… I saw a Coach who had no trouble grabbing a microphone when bidding was low during a silent auction and reminding the well-heeled crowd why they were at the gala in the first place. I wish more Philadelphians had a chance to see this caring side of Andy.”

Perhaps the Reids most giving act to Laurel House was one of their last. When their son, Garrett, died of an accidental heroin overdose last summer, they chose Laurel House to receive memorial donations in lieu of flowers. “Andrew and I had 48 hours from that happening (Garrett’s death) to having the funeral so it was a quick decision,” Tammy said. “I wanted something good to come out of it. I thought what better place to benefit from all the love and support people showed us?”

“Their request brought in a very significant amount of money. It was a real tribute to their family and son and showed how much people in the community and across the country care about them,” Sturman said.

In light of the recent murder-suicide of Chiefs’ linebacker Javon Belcher and his girlfriend, Kansas City seems a fortuitous destination for the Reids. Indeed, Tammy has already spoken to the wife of Chiefs’ owner Clark Hunt about getting involved in the team’s new domestic violence initiatives. “That’s right up my alley, I plan on jumping into this community too,” Tammy said.

Tammy also leaves a void at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints on Chestnut Street in Philadelphia.

Strict Mormons — they never drink alcohol or watch R-rated movies, the Reids joined a Broomall church soon after their arrival in Philly. As Special Stake Missionaries, the couple spoke about “Family, Faith and Football” in members’ homes and Tammy served as president of the Young Women’s Organization, for 12- to 18-year-olds. At Tammy’s suggestion, Andy once led the visiting Mormon Tabernacle Choir in the Eagles’ Fight Song at the Mann Music Center. His appearance brought down the house.

When the ward’s boundaries changed, the family switched to the church in Philly.

She became an advisor to the Young Women’s group, leading Sunday Gospel teachings at least once a month and attending as many of the group’s Tuesday night meetings as her schedule allowed. “Sure, Tammy is spunky, bubbly and fun, but she’s been a wonderful role model for our girls and takes her teaching seriously,” Young Women’s Organization President Heidi Roberts said. “She takes significant time preparing lessons with the girls in mind. You can tell she has a really deep concern and care for them and she always puts other people first.”

Last year, Tammy planned the favors and food (she made her famous whoopee pies) and helped plan the program for an Evening of Excellence honoring the girls’ accomplishments. “She didn’t do it all to be the star of the show,” Roberts recalls. “It was really selfless and the event was so well put together.”

Roberts said she and other church leaders were selfishly bemoaning the Reids’ departure — until they talked to Tammy at church last Sunday. “Tammy has a great attitude and when we see her happy and thinking positive, we celebrate that,” Roberts said. “We feed off of her. She said she had some wonderful experiences here and has strong ties here, but she’s looking forward to moving on.”

Not unexpectedly, Tammy also plunged headfirst into her role as the first lady of Philadelphia football. She started the Eagles Women’s Association to encourage coaches’ and players’ wives and girlfriends to get involved in the community. Among her volunteer stints: processing food donations for Philabundance, dressing disadvantaged women at the Career Wardrobe, reading with children through the Eagles Book Mobile, helping inner-city kids get eye exams with the Eagles Eye Mobile, painting equipment at the annual Playground Build and promoting the Eagles Tackling Breast Cancer initiative.

“One of the things I loved about the Eagles was that they had a lot of great opportunities to give back to the community,” she said. “Anytime the Eagles had anything, if I could go, I went. And I encouraged coaches’ and players’ wives and significant others to do the same.”

What makes Tammy so eager to give back? It’s how she was raised.

“My parents are the greatest examples of service that I’ve ever met in my whole life,” she said. “There was a hardly a day that went by when my mom or dad wasn’t helping someone: driving someone somewhere, fixing something, taking a meal or baking something.”

Tammy recalled the first time she took a meal to a sick Villanova neighbor. The neighbor was stunned by the gesture. “I’ve seen a lot of that in Philadelphia — people saying I’m so nice just for bringing a meal. I’m sad for people who don’t do that.”

With so many ties to the area, the Reids won’t be moving on completely.

Their youngest son, Spencer, 20, is a sophomore football player at Temple. The couple plans to host a local open house to celebrate the marriage of their 22-year-old daughter Drew — set for Feb. in Utah — with their Philly friends.

And Tammy says she’ll be back for Laurel House’s gala in the spring, even if Coach Reid can’t make the trip.

Asked what she’ll miss most about the Main Line and Philadelphia, Tammy paused to collect her thoughts. “I have pretty deep roots there you know. It’s the longest I’ve lived anywhere in my 53 years. I love my friends and the people around there. We’ll always have a place in our hearts for Philadelphia. Who knows? Maybe we’ll retire there. You just never know with the Reids.”